Oakwood College is requesting funding for the Faculty Research Enhancement Support Program Phase II in order to continue to increase the participation of faculty and students in biomedical and behavioral research and research training initiated in the Phase I Program. In Phase I, the College (1) increased the potential for faculty to write competing applications, (2) established an Institutional Research Council to provide oversight for all research activities and research policies, (3) increased the number of faculty participating in biomedical and behavioral research, (4) developed and nurtured a research culture at Oakwood College by instituting Student Peer Research Mentorship Program, Research Interest Groups, the Annual Research Day Symposium and publishing the Research Voice and Research Newsletter, and (5) increased the number of research collaborations with research intensive institutions. In Phase II, we propose to expand on these successes by (1) enhancing faculty opportunities to conduct research and engage in research training, intramurally and extramurally; (2) increasing EA's knowledge of NIH and related agencies; (3) developing skills in grantsmanship and contract writing among faculty; (4) establishing an external research advisory council to (a) aid in developing collaborations with other institutions and (b) provide strategic plans and visions for the Department of Research; and (5) Assisting in increasing minority student participation in research and motivating them to pursue research careers. Oakwood College continues to support the Department of Research. The College is submitting an application to its Board of Trustees for a Research Institute that will come under the jurisdiction of the Department of Research. Thus the College is committed to the continued existence of the Research Department with the EA as Chair. It is our belief that the Phase II FRESP is what the College needs to fully establish a research environment that will propel students into research careers in the biomedical and behavioral sciences as the faculty integrates research and learning into their interactions with them.